Register as an employment agency

Employment agencies are either legal or natural persons who provide employment services on their own behalf or on behalf of a third party or have a third party provide them on their behalf.

Employment agencies may offer the following services:

• temporary employment service: the agency offers temporary work positions;
• job-search service: the agency looks for a job for workers who request this;
• recruitment and selection service: the agency looks for workers to meet employers' needs;
• integration service: the agency helps workers to find a job themselves;
• outplacement service: the agency provides redundant workers with the tools they need to find another job;
• finding positions for professional athletes;
• finding positions for performance artists.

In Wallonia, employment agencies must register in order to perform their activities.

Employment agencies must be registered in order to perform the following services:

• job-seeking,
• recruitment and selection,
• integration,
• outplacement,
• finding positions for professional athletes;
• finding positions for performance artists.

If the employment agency provides several services, it must be specifically registered for each one.

The obligations of a registered agency:

1° to not provide an employment service for which it is not registered;

2° to not accept or request any payment from workers, or require workers to pay fees of any kind as a condition for the provision of employment services.
 

There are two possible derogations: for the job-seeking service and for finding positions for artists or paid athletes subject to certain conditions.

 3° to not collaborate with an unregistered employment agency;

4° to cancel their registration within 30 days of ceasing operations; and

 5° to submit an annual activity report;

Employment agencies that do not comply with these obligations will be subject to sanctions.

The agency must complete the application form (only available in French) for registration as a recruitment and selection agency, job search, insertion, outplacement, artists or athletes placement.

From mid-September, Belgian agencies will have to submit their online registration request using a new electronic form available in the “Mon Espace” platform. People wishing to access their company's Professional Space on “Mon Espace” must have a Belgian identity card and have previously received an invitation from the Principal Access Manager (GAP) appointed within the company. All the documentation relative to this procedure can be found in the "Help Center" on “Mon Espace”. Click here to learn how to use “Mon Espace”.
From mid-September, foreign agencies that do not have a Belgian company number will have to submit their registration request using a Word form (only available in French).

Registration application files are processed directly by the Directorate of Employment and Work Permits of the Public Service of Wallonia. The employment agency receives a permanent registration number.

Wallonia has created an advisory and concertation committee on placement which, through its missions, oversees this legal system.

Employment agencies must submit an annual activity report containing:
•    quantitative and qualitative data
•    data outlined by the Consultation and Dialogue Committee for employment issues of the Economic and Social Council (CESRW)

The objective is to guarantee the visibility and transparency of the regional labour market.

• • Decree of 3 April 2009 on the registration or licensing of employment agencies

  • Order of the Walloon Government of 10 December 2009 implementing the Decree of 3 April 2009 on the registration or licensing of employment agencies